Home › Artistic Swimming – Stage 9
Forward Tuck Somersault
From a front layout, tuck and roll forwards in a tight ball, finishing back on the surface – calm, controlled rotation.
- Stages
- Artistic Swimming – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Submersion, Rotation, Body Control
- Equipment
- None, Noodle
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Adequate depth so heads can't touch the floor; space around each swimmer; no breath-holding challenges.
What it develops
- Smooth transitions between positions
- Controlled submersion and surfacing
How to run it
- Start in a front layout or a gentle glide.
- Tuck the chin and knees quickly and pull the hands back and up to roll forwards.
- Breathe out gently through the nose as you roll.
- Open out into a back layout or front layout and breathe.
Teaching cues
- Chin to chest.
- Small and tight.
- Breathe out while upside down.
Make it easier
- Forward roll holding a noodle under the arms.
Make it harder
- Forward roll straight into a tub turn.
Common faults
- Rolling sideways.
- Opening too early.
Corrections
- 'Look at your tummy.'
- 'Wait until you're round before opening.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Keep the area around each swimmer clear and call 'space' if someone drifts close.